1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotationally and translationally pivotable balancing assembly, constituting, in specific embodiments, articles such as lamps, drink holders, and the like, which may be reposed on support surfaces such as table-tops, desk-tops, arm top surfaces of arm chairs, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the use of end tables, desks, night stands, coffee tables, and similar furniture items, the surface areas provided on top surfaces thereof are generally quite limited.
For example, when lamps are reposed on such top surfaces, the remaining useful surface areas are often inadequate for desired purposes for which such furniture items are otherwise employed.
In recognition of this shortcoming, various lighting fixtures have been devised which utilize a bracket which clamps over the edge of a table-top, desk-top, or the like, the bracket being retained in place by a mounting screw which may be selectively manually tightened against the edge portion of the furniture item, with the bracket being adapted to support a lamp or other light fixture coupled thereto, typically by means of an associated frame.
The frame may be articulated, comprising serially-connected sections which are associated with springs or other tensioning means to maintain the light fixture on the end of the frame at a desired spatial position. Alternatively, the frame may comprise a goose-neck structure which serves the same purpose. Numerous other configurations of frames are employed in lamps assemblies of such type, as associated with bracket means for table-edge mounting of the lamp assembly.
A common deficiency associated with the above-described type of lamp structure is that the mounting bracket engaging the furniture top surface has tendency to mar or otherwise damage the top surface as well as the associated edge region of the furniture item to which it is attached. Thus, the manual tightening which must be effected to securely attach the mounting bracket to the edge region of the furniture item frequently results in dents or gouges in the furniture top surface, particularly when such furniture top surface is formed of a soft material such as wood.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the art to provide a lamp assembly which is supportable on an edge region of a furniture top surface, but which is devoid of any compressively attached mounting brackets, clamps, or the like, which may damage or mar the furniture item.
Another disadvantage associated with the use of tables of various types, desks, and counters, is that their top surfaces frequently are susceptible to damage resulting from condensation of moisture on the outside of liquid containers which are placed on such surfaces and which contain liquid at a temperature below the ambient air temperature.
This "sweating" phenomenon may result in water-spotting, staining, or other discoloration of wood support surfaces, and corrosion of metal surfaces.
Accordingly, it has become a common usage to employ coasters to support containers of cold liquids, to avoid contact of condensate with the top surface of the furniture or counter. Nonetheless, in many instances, coasters may not be available, and the liquid consumer is forced to employ substitutes for such coasters, e.g., newspapers, magazines, and the like, which are unsatisfactory in that they are liquid permeable, so that the condensated liquid may nontheless reach the support surface which is desired to be protected therefrom.
Accordingly, it would be a significant advance to provide a holder for cold liquid containers which does not adversely affect the aesthetic appearance of a furniture top surface when such surface is employed to support a container of cold liquid in the course of consumption of the liquid therein.
In addition to the foregoing, arm chairs of various types are in use, including chairs in which the user may selectively adjust his or her position. Examples include lawn chairs, chaise lounges, recliners, etc., as well as arm chairs such as swivel chairs, rocking chairs, and the like, in which adjustment of the seated user's position likewise alters the orientation of the arms of the chair.
When chairs of such type e.g., lawn chairs and chaises, are used for leisure or recreation purposes, beverages are often consumed by the seated user of the chair. In order to free the hands of the seated person for other activities, such as knitting, playing cards, reading, and the like, it would be highly advantageous to provide a means for holding a liquid container, such as a drinking glass or can of beverage, which accommodates a change in orientation of the chair and its arms during usage of the chair, without spillage of liquid, and which is easily moved from place to place.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a structure which variously accommodates the foregoing needs, and which may in specific embodiments be configured as a lamp or lighting fixture, beverage container holder, or the like.
Relative to the rotationally and translationally pivotable assembly of the present invention, related art includes various so-called "kinetic sculptures" in which a figure or sculptural body is provided with a base portion having the shape of a downwardly converging cone which at its lower point is reposed on a pedestal, the figure or other sculptural body itself being configured with laterally extended arms or similar elements having counter-weights at their outer extremities.
Such kinetic sculpture may for example take the form of an aerial bicyclist carrying a balancing pole with balance weights at its respective extremities, such figure being pivotally balanced on the lower conical portion thereof so as to accommodate free rotation or lateral displacement of the figure from a normal upright position, with the lower conical projection of the figure reposing on the pedestal base of the kinetic sculpture.